OSCE chairmanship: High expectations, some trepidation

OSCE chairmanship: High expectations, some trepidation

"The first are the specific conflicts that exist. This is the Ukrainian crisis that will certainly be the focus of our chairmanship, and various other conflicts that have been frozen for 10, 20 years. The other issue and the other challenge is a global response to what is in fact (happening) with the European security," Dacic said.

The minister added that the high expectations of the international community were also "a big opportunity for Serbia."

"We had a series of meetings with most important officials of European countries that have key importance among the 57 OSCE member states. All the meetings were fair and they all expressed high expectations of Serbia. I've already said that I am a little afraid of this. Much work is head of us, but this is a great opportunity for Serbia," Dacic said.

According to him, Serbia will be a "reliable and credible negotiator that will respect all sides."

"I was happy to hear the position of Ukrainian officials who do not see Serbia's good relations with Russia as a limitation to our objectivity, but as our advantage in finding a solution for the crisis in eastern Ukraine," he said.

He rejected the possibility that Serbia could come under stronger pressure in its new OSCE role, adding that the country "will be respected more" while at the helm of the organization.

"A strong and respected Serbia is the best defense against pressure. We are moving toward the EU but want to have best relations with Russia. We support Ukraine's territorial integrity, but we have not imposed sanctions on Russia," the minister reiterated.

As for the country's "recognition of Kosovo as a condition for EU membership," Dacic said this was "not an official condition set before Serbia."

"As far as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and what we adhere to, an in the formal sense, when it comes to the documents, such an obligation was never determined in the decisions of the European Council. The European Council cannot determine that as an obligation because five EU members have not recognized Kosovo," said Dacic.

Commenting on President Tomislav Nikolic's announcement that he was working on a new platform for Kosovo, Dacic said this "should be talked about."

As for the possibility of a cabinet reshuffle and speculation it could leave his party, the SPS, out of the government, Dacic said:

"Even if that happens, it's nothing terrible. Someone has to (leave). The largest party in the government cannot be 'reshuffled'. Even while I served as prime minister, we had a deal with Vucic, and at that time we had one reshuffle. We agreed then that it was necessary to check who did how much work everyone was doing every six months, and that we would make some replacements. Are these replacements (about) the participation of parties - this could be the case, but doesn't have to. Everything depends on the prime minister."

Asked whether he was satisfied with his own performance and whether he did his best as foreign minister, Dacic said he believes that "a big step forward in the foreign policy of our country was made during the past three years," and credited not only himself, but also "our entire country, including the prime minster and the president."

"We all dealt with the foreign policy. Maybe the biggest breakthrough that occurred in the past three years is that change in the international standing of Serbia. The question of whether someone could have done more is relative," said Dacic.

"Austrian support"

Serbia has received the support of Austria for the upcoming one-year chairmanship of the OSCE, said Ivica Dacic, who was in Vienna for the traditional New Year's concert of the Vienna Philharmonic.

He said he used his presence in Vienna, where he was invited by Austrian hosts, to talk to Austrian President Heinz Fischer and Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz "on the sidelines of the concert."

"They congratulated me on the first day of Serbia's chairmanship OSCE and wished a lot of success," Dacic told Tanjug.

Austria will chair the OSCE, the organization that brings together "57 countries members of Vladivostok to Vancouver," in 2017.

Serbia on January 1 took over from Switzerland, while its chairmanship will officially begin on January 15 when the OSCE Permanent Council, chaired by Dacic, is set to meet for the first time.